ANT/Bizmen call for speedy settlement of Bibit-Chandra case

Depok (ANTARA News) - Businessmen are calling for an immediate settlement of the Bibit Samat Rianto and Chandra M Hamzah case, arguing further delays would make them lose their sense of legal certainty.

"Businessmen wish the case of Bibit-Chandra to be settled soon," the chairman of the Association of Indonesian Businessmen (Apindo), Sofyan Wanandi, said here on Friday.

He said the prolongation of the case had affected businessmen very much. "They are still waiting and will not move (before the case is settled)," he said.

He said businessmen were waiting for legal certainty. There were three things they always were paying attention to, namely political stability, security and legal certainty, he said.

"It is legal certainty they are now waiting for," he said.

He said the Bibit-Chandra case had already harmed the Indonesian business community because many foreign investors who had initially agreed to cooperate with Indonesian counterparts had suddenly changed their mind in view as they felt there was no legal certainty.

Sofyan said the polemics between the police, the attorney general`s office and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) had to be overcome soon so that businessmen could again conduct their activities with legal certainty.

Bibit Samat Rianto and Chandra M Hamzah have been named suspects by the police on charges of extortion and power abuse but the Team of Eight set up by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to verify the legal facts and processes in the case had recommended the dropping of the case because there was not enough evidence to support the charges.

Many quarters have criticized the police`s actions in the case as they believe the charges against the two KPK commissioners were fabricated.(*)